This invention relates to toy vehicles and, in particular, the use of shape memory alloys to activate moving parts of such toy vehicles.
There is a popular market for toy vehicles throughout the world. In many instances, the consumer is looking for as much activity and play value in the vehicle as possible together with as much control over the parts of the vehicle.
Although many such vehicles may be motorized, this generally comprises an electric motor powered by batteries to run a drive train and often an electrical wiring loom for lights or similar. However, more subtle movements of components such as the opening of doors, hoods, steering mechanisms and similar items have generally proved too costly or difficult to incorporate individual drive mechanisms for these components. As a result, such items as doors on a miniature replica or similar are likely to be made with simple hinge mechanisms to allow them to be manually opened and closed.
Not only is cost affected in providing drive mechanisms for such components, but the size constraints often preclude the fitment of items to allow such movements. If they can be fitted at all, the toy designer is severely constrained in further aspects of the design to allow incorporation of the additional components.
It is an object of the present invention to provide shape memory alloy actuators for toy vehicles to overcome some of these problems with prior art toy vehicles or at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly, in the first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a toy vehicle comprising:
a main body portion;
at least one component attached to or with said main body portion capable of reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position;
a drive mechanism to activate motion of said movable component including at least one element formed from a shape memory alloy that may drive said motion upon the supply of heat to said shape memory alloy component; and
means to heat said shape memory alloy component.